Chapter 89: Six ways of magic

Following the absentminded professor through the small corridors, they quickly moved across the deck towards the front.

Passing past a group of guards, Steven had to take an alternative route to avoid getting caught.

It would’ve been much easier if there hadn’t been an alarm earlier in the night forcing each guard to be much more cautious.

But even his alternative route wasn’t much better, as he encountered a singular guard half asleep leaning against a wall.

Being kind-minded, he sent him to sleep with a single strike, dragging him inside one of the empty closets.

Walking around, a different staff member, Steven, took a sharp left, positioning himself just behind Alem once more.

Who seemed to grow more nervous each second as he hurried forward into a dead end.

At the end of the corridor was a double door guarded by two masked blue-coloured guards.

As Steven could feel their dangerous mana searching the surroundings for any abnormality.

He had to step even closer to Alem to not be caught, hiding his mana between the one of the professor.

Until Alem suddenly stopped in his tracks just a few metres away from the door.

One of the guards held his arm out, blocking the way forward. "Professor, you’re not allowed to enter this room; please turn around."

But Alem shocks his head in a panic. "I am the captain; I can decide wherever I go, you understand?" the professor’s voice called out while stepping forward."

Sorry, but we can’t let you pass; this was a royal order." The other guard spoke while playing his hand on a sword hanging on his side.

Alem stared at them, his body visibly shaking until he took a deep breath. "I said move..." He finally spoke while the guard tried to pull his sword.

But without even the movement of his hand, a few ice shards the professor was carrying moved on their own, flying directly towards the guard.

Who didn’t even have time to react before his body was ripped to pieces, the remains being pinned against the wall?

The second guard, in the meantime, didn’t even dare to move, being frozen in place, but that didn’t save him either.

Just as the guard was about to beg for his life, his head was already rolling down from his body.

’’This is the royal guard? How embarrassing.’’ Alem spoke while stepping past the body towards the door. "But don’t you worry, I already got some idea for you guys’ parts. I doubt you will mind it.’’

Alem spoke to himself while laughing like a maniac, saying that even Steven felt unwell just standing next to him.

Watching Alem push open the door, he felt like such a powerful professor would’ve long caught his presence.

Meaning whatever was in front of him was either a trap or something Alem didn’t mind him knowing about.

Following the teacher through the door, it instantly shut behind him, nearly scaring him to death.

"Mr Bright, I am impressed by your sudden visit in my fine room," Alem spoke while turning towards him, staring directly into his eyes.

Deactivating his invisibility Steven raised his guard even more, his fingers already holding the magic blade.

’’Sadly, I doubt this is your room, Professor Alem, if that is even your name,’’ Steven countered while beginning to walk around the mostly empty room.

Except for a singular steel safe standing at the backside of the room, carved with enough runes to protect the entire ship on its own.

"Well, don’t the people say, ’Make yourself a home?’" The professor argued, ignoring his earlier comment.

"I think you’re overdoing it slightly, Professor." Stevens’ voice was flat, thickening his grab on the weapon.

But Alem had already changed his focus towards the safe as he took a few steps towards it. "You might be asking why I brought you here, young man."

Steven could only shrug; he had a few theories but couldn’t wait for this guy to reveal his plans to him. ’’Maybe you missed a perfect student like me?’’ he said ironically.

"Well, you aren’t too far away, codename S."Steven froze in place, staring at the professor, who barely paid him any attention.

How did he know about his affiliation with the fingers? And even worse, his codename.

’’Before you go and try to kill me or any other way to silence this body, you should listen,’’ Alem added as if he knew what Steven was thinking.

Was it Calostie controlling the professor? No, he couldn’t feel her mana anywhere around. Had she edited his mind to become a drone of her beforehand?

"I might not know what exactly you’re thinking right now, Mr Bright, but I can feel your confusion," Alem spoke, pointing towards Stevens’ chest. "And no, I am not Calostie or any of her drones."

’’What are you then?’’ Steven asked cautiously."I am your professor Alem, or well, a version of him." The answer came instantly as if he had been waiting for the question.

"What do you mean, a version of him?" Steven continued asking, but Alem didn’t answer directly; his gaze fixated on the safe once more.

Clearing his throat, he wanted to ask again, but Alem interrupted him. "I can feel your impatience, so I’m going to make it easy for you."

"This persona is an inverted version of the emotions from your familiar teacher. Done by my lord Hermetic the second finger,’’ the professor stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Staring at the current Alem, it really seemed like a completely different person. ’’But how?’’

’’Soul magic, you should know it from school; I think I thought it was in the other course.’’ He furrowed his brow in confusion.

Steven, of course, knew about soul magic but had mostly believed it could only be used as a debuff or motivation in war and not to such an extent.

’’I can feel your doubt, but don’t you know how the fingers work?’’ Alem truly seemed confused at his reaction.

But Steven could only shake his head. ’’I got no idea what you’re talking about right now.’’

"Don’t they tell you guys anything anymore? How misstrusting of the others? Well, if I were them, I would be scared too," the professor answered vaguely.

"You don’t seem to be much more open either," Steven answered harshly at his words, but Alem only raised his hands.

’’Such impatience. Let me finish speaking first before you fire back at me again.’’ Alem spoke quickly, interrupting Steven.

’’There exist six of us, but none are the same in any way.’’’’Have you ever heard of the six ways of magic?’’ Alem asked Steven.

Steven remembers hearing about something like that before in his school years, even though it was only said as a side note from a teacher.

"That all magic can be divided into categories, but wasn’t it five?’ He whispered, but even then did Alem answer.

"Yes, very good. Originally it was known as the Five Ways of Magic, but the people back then didn’t know enough of themselves." The professor spoke calmly as if explaining it to a child.

’’Then what is the sixth way? ’’’ Steven wanted to ask but was interrupted once more.

"Oh, not so fast; let’s first collect everything you know."

’’Attack, defensive and healing magic were the first three discovered, but some also claim mind and soul magic count as separate ones as well,’’ Steven spoke, trying to recall the class.

’’Exactly one hundred points for you, young man, just that those old geezers forgot one simple aspect. ’’Alem congratulated him happily.

’’And that is?’’

"The body, or much more known as life. ’Your existence itself is magic in a form much different than any other,"

Alem answered, sounding more and more excited about teaching him something. "Well enough, talk about all this for now; hand over the small gift you brought me before his soul is able to fight back even more."

The professor tried to speak, but his body began to shake slightly.

"What is happening to you?’’ Steven asked while pulling out the golden box from his pocket but not giving him it yet.

’’My powerful lord is not able to reshape my soul forever due to the original being being too powerful, so in just a few moments his dispicable emotions will return to protect his students and whatever."

Barely having finished his sentence, Alem fell forward onto his knees.

"Hurry up, boy. Hand me the box and activate it; afterwards, you will collect what is hidden inside that safe."

Aleem’s voice seemed forced, as if he didn’t want to say that.

"But the bomb will take some time to explode, and why hand it to you? "Steven asked unsure what to do; he knew the fingers were watching him right now.

But even then he wasn’t sure if whatever he was about to do was worth the sacrifices.

’’Just use more mana too to start it; it will shortcut the duration immensely." Alems’ voice wasn’t much more than a whisper.

Steven wanted to wait; he wanted to say no; he wanted to just walk away, but he couldn’t.

He knew the cost of his mission.

So he purred his mana into the box.

And handed it to the alter ego of his professor.

And without looking back, he ran.

As fast as he could.

Knowing it was the end of the innocent professor.